Mail tray unloader with shuttle transfer through system comprising tilting

Abstract

An automated flats handling system is provided that includes mail shuttles, a tray unloading section, a quality control area, a shuttle tilter, a shuttle return section and a stacker/loader. The tray unloading section has a conveyor and unloads mail from a standard tray into one of the shuttles. The quality control area also has a conveyor and facilitates grooming the mail in the shuttle. The shuttle tilter tilts each shuttle prior to unloading the mail from the shuttle. The shuttle return section also has a conveyor and returns the shuttles to the tray unloading section. The stacker/loader cooperates with the shuttle tilter and unloads the mail from the shuttles, creates a mail stack from the unloaded mail, and loads a portion of the mail stack into an automation compatible tray.

1. An automated flats handling system, comprising:
 a plurality of shuttles; 
 a tray unloading section, including a first shuttle conveyor, to unload mail from a standard tray into one of the shuttles; 
 a quality control area, including a second shuttle conveyor coupled to the first shuttle conveyor, to facilitate grooming the mail in said one of the shuttles; 
 a shuttle tilter, coupled to the second shuttle conveyor, to tilt each shuttle prior to unloading the mail from said one of the shuttles; 
 a shuttle return section, including a third shuttle conveyor coupled to the shuttle tilter and the first shuttle conveyor, to return each of the shuttles to the tray unloading section; and 
 a stacker/loader to cooperate with the shuttle tilter and unload the mail from the shuttles, to create a mail stack from the unloaded mail, and to load a portion of the mail stack into an automation compatible tray, 
 wherein the stacker/loader includes: 
 a frame; 
 a shelf attached to the frame; 
 a slotted surface plate, attached to the shelf, to cooperate with a plurality of slots in each shuttle; 
 two stackers, coupled to the frame, to unload the mail from each shuttle and to create a mail stack from the unloaded mail; 
 a backstop, coupled to the frame, to support the front end of the mail stack; 
 a separator, coupled to the frame, to divide the mail stack into a smaller portion of mail; and 
 an autopaddle, coupled to the frame, to load the smaller portion of mail into the automation compatible tray. 
 
     
     
       2. The automated flats handling system of  claim 1 , wherein each stacker includes a fixed set of tines and a movable set of tines, the backstop includes a set of tines and the autopaddle includes a set of tines. 
     
     
       3. The automated flats handling system of  claim 2 , wherein the two stackers, the backstop and the autopaddle translate along the frame in a direction parallel to the shelf. 
     
     
       4. The automated flats handling system of  claim 3 , wherein the two stackers, the backstop, the autopaddle and the separator translate in a direction perpendicular to the shelf. 
     
     
       5. The automated flats handling system of  claim 3 , wherein the set of movable tines translates along the stacker in the direction parallel to the shelf. 
     
     
       6. The automated flats handling system of  claim 2 , wherein the stacker/loader includes a conveyor to transport the automation compatible tray. 
     
     
       7. The automated flats handling system of  claim 2 , wherein the separator includes a plurality of staggered fingers, each having at least two belts located on opposing sides of the finger. 
     
     
       8. The automated flats handling system of  claim 2 , wherein the stacker/loader includes a kick out mechanism, coupled to the shelf, to create a gap in a bottom edge of the mail stack. 
     
     
       9. The automated flats handling system of  claim 2 , wherein the stacker/loader includes a set of cams to secure the front edge of the mail stack during the creation of the smaller portion of mail. 
     
     
       10. A stacker/loader for an automated flats handling system, comprising:
 a frame; 
 a shelf attached to the frame; 
 a slotted surface plate, attached to the shelf, to cooperate with a plurality of slots in a mail shuttle; 
 two articulated stackers, each coupled to the frame and having a fixed set of tines and a movable set of tines, to unload mail from the mail shuttle and to create a mail stack from the unloaded mail; 
 an articulated backstop, coupled to the frame and having a fixed set of tines, to support the front end of the mail stack; 
 an articulated separator, coupled to the frame and having a plurality of fingers, to divide the mail stack into a smaller portion of mail; and 
 an articulated autopaddle, coupled to the frame and having a fixed set of tines, to load the smaller portion of mail into an automation compatible tray; 
 a conveyor to deliver and remove automation compatible trays. 
 
     
     
       11. The stacker/loader of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the two stackers, the backstop and the autopaddle translate along the frame in a direction parallel to the shelf; 
 the two stackers, the backstop, the autopaddle and the separator translate in a direction perpendicular to the shelf; and 
 each set of movable stacker tines translates along the stacker in the direction parallel to the shelf. 
 
     
     
       12. The stacker/loader of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the separator includes a plurality of staggered fingers, each having at least two belts located on opposing sides of the finger; and 
 the stacker/loader includes:
 a kick out mechanism, coupled to the shelf, to create a gap in a bottom edge of the mail stack, and 
 a set of cams to secure the front edge of the mail stack during the creation of the smaller portion of mail.